Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 142 Feeling a Bit Nervous

Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Feeling a Bit Nervous

On New Year’s Eve, a light snowfall drifted down from the sky.

The snow had been falling intermittently for the past few days, sometimes stopping and suddenly starting again.

It is said that it isn’t cold when it snows but it is cold when the snow melts, yet as He Jinxia sat in the living room, watching the snowy scene outside the window, she felt a chill of desolation spreading through her heart.

Perhaps it was because there were few people at home that the snowfall seemed somewhat bleak. Last time at Sheng Yan’s home, she hadn’t felt this way.

Mrs. He brought over a large basin of dumplings and said, "It’s not easy for them, having to stay here during the New Year without being able to return to their families. I wouldn’t have known this morning, but now that I do, take this basin of dumplings down and give it to them."

He Jinxia looked at the large basin of dumplings on the table and instinctively refused, "Mom, there’s no need. I don’t know them, and what if they don’t accept it—I—"

"Just take it to them and leave, throw the dumplings inside, and what are you going to talk to them about? What is there to say? Avoid saying the wrong thing, lest you provide the paparazzi any more material to write about!"

Mrs. He interjected, her eyes losing their tranquility and replaced by shrewd analysis, "Besides, if you foster a good relationship with them, they might even write something positive about you when they publish an article!"

She pushed He Jinxia outside, "Go on, go on. It’s New Year’s Eve, and everyone should be gathering for the reunion dinner tonight, it’s hard on these kids to have traveled so far from home with you."

He Jinxia, holding a large basin of dumplings, looked bewildered as Mrs. He pushed her out the door and even deliberately locked it, stating she would open it when she returned.

Standing alone in the empty corridor, she looked down at the dumplings in her hands and her face flashed with an expression of wry amusement. Why did it feel like she was being coerced?

After pondering for a while, she composed her expression and descended the stairs.

Inside a black van parked in the passage, three men were huddled together playing cards.

"Three of a kind! It’s New Year’s Eve today, He Jinxia probably won’t go out, right?"

Another person replied, "Five of a kind! Probably not, didn’t you see that she’s hardly left the house since she came back the night before last?"

"Jack of a kind! Do you think she has noticed us?"

"No play! Possibly, after all, we sent out the press release about her coming home, and her agent is Luo You. Although he’s not very famous in the industry, he was behind He Jinxia’s several public relations incidents before; he’s no simple character and should have cautioned He Jinxia to be cautious."

"Two of a kind! I reckon she knows about it; otherwise why were the curtains on the balcony drawn last night? Didn’t you see they never drew the curtains during the day?"

"No play."

"No play."

"Full house! She’s not coming out on New Year’s Day, but by the second day of the New Year, she surely can’t keep hiding out, right? She’d have to visit relatives on the second day, and nobody would believe she doesn’t have any relatives—not even the paparazzi would buy that."

"No play. Makes sense, but, The Eldest, are we sure to stumble upon some hot news by following her?"

"Same, no play. Yeah, although He Jinxia rose quickly, she had to lose a dramatic eighty pounds, which isn’t easy. If other actresses could do like she did, they would probably have become famous already, right?"

"Straight flush! That’s true, but I still don’t believe He Jinxia is that simple. Her team consists of marketing masters. Not only is their marketing slick, the question is, where did He Jinxia get the money to hire these top talents?"

"No play. As The Eldest said, it makes sense, Laoer, remember to take notes!"

"No play. Lao San, don’t think I wouldn’t dare to scold you because you’re the youngest, hey, The Eldest, could it be that He Jinxia is actually very talented in acting?"

"Bomb! Her work hasn’t come out yet, so her acting is still an unknown, but I don’t believe she’s any good. If she were, would she have been kicked out of the JY girl group?"

"No play, well said, The Eldest!"

"Sorry guys, I just can’t compete. The Eldest, your cards are just too good!"

"Haha, a four! I win! Thanks, everyone, I guess luck and good cards are on my side today!"

The person with the most cards silently went off to shuffle.

The man called the Eldest was in his thirties, with slightly curly hair and wearing a hat — a habit from his paparazzi days since a hat is essential to avoid being recognized by celebrities.

He was just about to light a cigarette and expound his theories about He Jinxia’s background when, just as he muttered "He Jinxia", suddenly, someone knocked on the window tinted with a black film.

Turning his head, the Eldest was instantly startled — damn, speaking of the devil and he shall appear!

Suddenly, he felt a bit uneasy...

The Eldest quickly looked at the other two, who also saw He Jinxia outside and looked astonished.

With the black film, people outside couldn’t see inside, but they could clearly see outside.

"Knock knock knock!" The window was knocked on again.

The three quickly huddled together, whispering, "What does she want by coming here?"

Laoer: "Looking for trouble?"

The third: "To criticize and chase us away?"

The Eldest glared at the two: "Pfft, what a bunch of jinxes! What nonsense are you talking? If she really wants us gone, are we just going to leave? We are paparazzi, paparazzi!"

"Knock knock knock!" During their discussion, the window was knocked again, as if it were a death knell.

The three looked at each other, clueless.

The Eldest took a deep breath, pulled his hat down low to ensure He Jinxia couldn’t see his face when the window rolled down... a tiny bit.

He Jinxia: "..."

Such a tiny gap, how was she supposed to push dumplings through it?

So, she knocked on the window again and said, "Could you please open the window a bit more?"

Hearing He Jinxia’s tone, which didn’t seem confrontational, the chief paparazzi rolled the window down... a tiny bit more.

He Jinxia: "..."

Can’t you just open it all the way? I mean, can! You! Not!

Even half-open would suffice, just a bit more than that initial crack. What kind of game is this?

This time she didn’t even knock, but continued to gently press: "Please, could you open it just a little more?"

After some back and forth, the window finally rolled down to half its height, and seizing the opportunity, He Jinxia stuffed a large basin of dumplings inside. The three paparazzi inside, thinking she was about to throw something at them, all hid in the farthest corner of the car, unaccepting!

He Jinxia smiled and said, "Here, take it. It’s nothing bad, I prepared it especially for you."

The Eldest took the basin skeptically, looked down, and saw that it contained dumplings, steaming faintly.